Combined closure and shutter drive



Nov. 3, 1936. E. WHITTAKER 2,059,426

COMBINED CLOSURE AND SHUTTER DRIVE Filed July 26, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 3, 1936. L. E. WHITTAKER 2,059,426

COMBINED CLOSURE AND SHUTTER DRIVE Filed July 26, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zia/e712?? $20 662 14514732135627 Nov. 3, 1936. wHlTTAKER 2,059,426

COMBINED CLOSURE AND SHUTTER DRIVE Filed July 26, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet s ill!!! E1 A A YA Nov. 3, 1936. L. E. WHITTAKER 7 2,059,425

COMBINED CLOSURE AND SHUTTER DRIVE Filed July 26, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINED CLOSURE AND SHUTTER DRIVE Application July 26, 1934, Serial No. 737,031

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to interlocked closure and drive arrangements, especially as applied to optical apparatus as cameras and similar photographic devices.

In certain photographic apparatus, as for example in motion picture cameras, it is desirable to establish a positive relation between optical control elements as shutter or film movements, and the parts permitting access to the interior of the camera, as doors hinged or otherwise associated with the camera housing, so that, for example, the opening of a door is not interfered with by the shutter, or the latter damaged through the opening of the former. It is therefore one of the principal objects of the.present invention to provide an arrangement for positively correlating the positions of the door and a movement, for example the shutter, of a photographic camera, to provide an arrangement which prevents a change in the position of the closure element before the movement has been brought into a position where it does not interfere with the closure element, and to provide for maintaining the movement in that position until the closure is again in proper position relatively to the apparatus. 1

In another aspect, the invention contemplates the automatic disengagement of the movement from its drive upon opening of the closure, reengagement in predetermined position relatively to the drive and therefore to other mechanisms of the apparatus actuated by that drive, upon closing the apparatus, maintenance of the disengagement of the movement so long as the apparatus is open, and locking of the closure so long as drive and movement are effectively connected.

A further aspect of the invention is the connection of apparatus housing and closure by means of a hinge and by leading the driving link between drive and movement (for example a shutter) through the hinge, for example with a shaft coaxial with the hinge pin as described and claimed in copending application Serial No. 737,- 032 filed July 26, 1934, and the interlocking of this drive with the closure.

Still another object of the invention is to provide for securely locking the closure in the apparatus housing and for exact fixation of the relative position of the closure, for example the door, and the housing, by means of a pressure contact device which is automatically released upon unlocking the closure. These and other objects, features and aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following explanation of its genus with reference to a concrete embodiment thereof. The description refers to drawings, in which;

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a motion picture camera incorporating the device according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with the door in locked position;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, with the door locked;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on line 55 of Fig. 4, showing the clutch mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a section similar to Fig. 4 but with the door unlocked and ready to be opened;

Fig. 7 is a section similar to Fig. 5, likewise with the door unlocked; and

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on line 8--8 of Fig. 6.

The shutter drive arrangement constituting the subject matter of the above mentioned copending 20 application Serial No. 737,032 will be included in the disclosure of the herein described embodiment of the present invention. Although one aspect of this preferred embodiment includes in combination the peculiar shutter drive of the copending application, it is expressly understood that this aspect includes the correlation of the closure construction and any other drive arrangements which may be preferred in other embodiments of the present invention. 30

Referring to the drawings, I denotes the walls of a camera housing, 2 is a bottom suitably secured to the housing, and 3 (Figs. 2 and '7) is part of the support on which the film guiding elements of the camera are mounted. A door 5 preferably like the housing a light metal casting, has a clutch journal boss 6 and a journal plate 1 (Fig. 3) supporting two ball bearings H and I2 for shutter shaft l5 to which a helical gear wheel l6 and the shutter proper I! are fastened. The 40 camera housing has a recess or pocket I!) (Figs. 1, 3, and 4) which receives the shutter support portion of the door in open position. A central opening l8 permits entrance of the light through lens system l9, which is not part of the present 45 invention and therefore not further described. The shutter shaft housing extends upwardly and downwardly, forming hinge portions 2| with pressed in or otherwise fastened tubes 22, 23, which extend into essentially tubular hinge receptacles 25 of the housing which form journals for tubes 22, 23, permitting rotation of the door about hinge axis h-h. Thrust bearing rings 28, 29 support the door in vertical direction.

Fastened to tube 23 are two sleeves 3| and 32 55 .leverIlI shaft.

which form beveled seats for ball bearings 34 and 95 supporting shaft H on collars 49 and 41. This shaft is mounted coaxially with the hinge, that is, its axis of rotation.coincides with hinge axis h. To the upper end of shaft 4| is screwed a helical gear wheel 42 drivingly engaging the above-described gear wheel I9 of the shutter The lower end of shaft 4| forms one-half 42 of a single position clutch, having two unequal claws corresponding to the recesses 44 and 45 of the other clutch half shown in Fig. 8. Between the two bearings, shaft 4| is upset to form a collar 49. This collar has a slot 49 whose purpose will be explained later. Shaft 4| extends downwardly at 5|, where it guides the lower half 52, of the aforementioned clutch, with clutch sleeve 52 having two flanges in well known manner, and gear wheel 54 engaging worm 55 which is driven through shaft 59 (Fig. 8) connected to any driving .element suitable for the present purpose, as for example, a motor driven flexible shaft.

Door 5 further supports a locking mechanism actuated by knob 9| (Figs. 2 and 'I) screwed to an axle 92 having a prismatic portion 53 and, at the other end, a threaded portion 64. Loosely on prism 93 slides a pinion 95, whereas a cylindrical collar 95 guides axle 92 in sleeve 61 secured to the door casting 5. A helical spring 1I, confined between the sleeve of knob 6| and tubular extension 12 of door lock cover 19, and resting on knob and pinion 95, respectively, tends to move axle 92 outwardly, this axial movement being limited when collar 99 strikes pinion 95, which is confined between sleeve 91 and cover 13, in which the round portion 14 of the pinion turns,

The threaded portion 54 of axle 52 (Fig. 2) is adapted to engage the tapped hole of stop boss 9| adjustably fastened to film movement support 9 by means of a screw and thread, and fixed by means of lock screw 92.

In a hole 9| (Figs. 4 and 6) extending through the entire width of the door slides a rack rod 92, whose toothed portion 93 engages pinion 55 of the above-described lock mechanism. A second toothed portion 94 engages pinion 95 sitting on axle 99 which is mounted in the door casting similar to shaft 92'.

A second, vertical rack rod 91 (Figs. 4 and 6) extends downwardly within the door casting, and like rod 92 engages pinion 95. It has a rounded lower end normally resting upon the clutch actuator I 9I now to be described.

The clutch actuator I9| (Figs. 4, 5, 6, '7, and 8) is a rod having at its upper end a recess I92 and being at its lower end joined to clutch lever I99 pivoted at I94 to the camera base. A roller I95 (Fig. 8) suitably fastened to the side of lever I99, engages clutch sleeve 59 already described. The actuator slides in guide piece I25 (Fig. 5), which, in conjunction with lever I99 permits only a substantially vertical up and down movement of the actuator. A spring I91 between nose I99 of the actuator andthe wall of cover II5 tends to lift the actuator, which movement is, however, limited by stop I99 (F18 4 and 6).

Arranged within guide piece I25 is a two armed (Figs. 5 and '1) whose upper arm has a catch II2 adapted to engage the aforementioned receu I92 whereas the lower arm is pushed inwardly by a spring II4 forcing catch II2 towards the actuator rod. The back II9 of the catch is edge II1 of the closed door presses the catch inwardly, :itfromrecess |92,aswillbe In lifted so arranged thatthe 5 (Figs. 5 and thereby explained position, the actuator extends into opening I21 of the door, as shown in Fig. 5, preventing it in this position from being opened.

The clutch mechanism is confined within angular cover 5 (Figs. 4 and 5) detachably fastened to camera housing I and base casting 2. It will be observed that by removing cover H5, and detaching lever I93 at I94, the clutch control mechanism can be removed for inspection or cleaning.

One end 9 of horizontal rack rod 92 (Figs. 4 and 6) is wedge shaped and adapted to engage slot 49 of hinge shaft 4|, whereas the other end II9 is conical and constitutes a bolt for lockin door 5 in bushing 9 screwed into the camera housing.

Shutter shaft I5 (Figs. 1 and 3) supports, on the outside of the shaft journal plate 1, an indicator disk |2| having a mark I22 which, when positioned opposite mark I29 of the plate. indicates that shutter I1 is in a position in which it can not collide with any other part of the camera when the door is opened.

This mechanism functions as follows:

When the camera is closed, as shown in Figs.

2, 4, and 5, the threaded portion 94 (Fig. 2) of lock shaft 92 engages the thread of stop 9| and spring 1| presses face 58 of sleeve 91 towards face 59 of stop 9| thereby establishing an exact distance between the door 5, and therefore the lens system I9, and the film confining arrangement mounted on support 3. Conus N9 of rod 92 engages bushing 9 and locks door 9 in housing l, whereas wedge-shaped end 8 of rod 92 is retracted into the hole 9| crossing the door casting. Rod 91 is in raised position, as shown in Fig. 5, spring I91 pressing actuator I9| upwardly into the perforation I21 of door 5, thereby preventing its opening. The door edge I|1 presses against face |I5 of catch II2, keeping the latter away from the actuator.

Lever I99 is likewise raised and the two clutch halves engage as shown in Fig. 4. Driving shaft 55 may or may not rotate; in the former case it drives shutter I1 through worm 55, gear wheel 54, clutch 43, 44, 45, shaft 4|, gears 42 and I9, and shaft I5.

When it is desired to open the camera, for example for threading film, shutter I1 is first brought into a position where it will not interfere with other parts of the camera when the door is opened. This position is present when mark I22 on disc I2| of the shutter shaft is opposite mark I23 of the housing. when the shut-' ter is in this position, slot 49 of shaft 4| is opposite wedge N9 of rack 92.

Knob 9| is then turned, which causes screw 94 gradually to disengage from the thread of stop II, and also rotates shaft 52 with pinion 95 on its prismatic portion 99. Pinion 65 causes rack rod 92 to move towards the left (as seen in Figs. 4 and 6) whereby wedge Ill engages slot 49, arresting the shutter, before conus III emerges from bushing 9, at which time actuator |9I is still within opening |21 of the door.

At the same time, rack rod 91 is moved downwardly by pinion 95, pushing actuator |9I down wardly until its upper face is flush with the surface of housing casting At the same time, the actuator moves lever I93 downwardly, disengaging the clutch. During the last turn of knob 9|, screw 94 leaves its thread and conus 9 its bushing 9. The door can now be opened. Before the lower end of rod 91 slides from the upper face of actuator lul, the receding edge of on said housing,

spouse the opening door releases catch H2v which eugages recess N2 of the actuator, thereby retain ing the clutch in open position. The door can now be fully opened without any danger of the shutter colliding with other parts of the camera, or being connected to the drive while the door is open.

When the operator closes the door, the abovedescribed sequence of verse order; the laces 01f rod or and actuator I M engage, the door eclee disengages catch m, opposite direction, of knob the turning", new in SI first locks the door by moving conus M9 into its bushing then diseneeges wedge Ht from slot id, and finally the clutch between drive and shutter is closed, whereby, due to the slope oi the clutch elews, there is only one position oi engagement, so the-t the shutter is picked up in proper sgeiclironism with the rest or the corners. mechanism which may have been moved in the meontime, es for threading film.

it should be understood that the present disciosure is for the purpose of illustration onii end that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fell within the scope of the appended ole I claim:

l. A device of the character described compricing is support for an optical syetem moveb-le relatively to an apparatus housing, or control device for said system mounted on said support, driving menus for said control device mounted means for locking said support to said housing, means for retracting said look ing means one for arresting said. control device in predetermined position relatively to said sup port prior to the unlocking by said retracting, means for disengaging said control device from said driving moons after the control device is arrested, and moons associated with said dis engaging means for holding said support prior to said disengagement end for retaining saicl disengaging menus operative when said support is not reedv to be locked.

2. A device of thechorecter described comprising at camera housing, a. door supporting a lens and hinged to said housing, a shutter for said lens Journeled in said door, 9. shutter drive on said housing, a coupling between said shutter and said drive, disengageabie means for normally distancing said door and lens relatively to said-housing, means for locking said door in said housing, means for arresting saicl'shutter in a predetermined :msition, control means for disengaging and engaging said distancing means and said locking" means, for making saidmxmsting means eii'ective from a time prior to the unlocking until after the relocking of said door, for opening said clutch after said shutter has been arrested and for closing the clutch in predetermined relation said shutter prior to the release of the shutter upon relocking the door, and means for holding said door in substantially closed position when said coupling is engaged and for functions occurs in re-= drive, and means clocure is locked to retaining said coupling disengaged so long as said. door is open.

' 3. A device of the character described comprising a camera. housing, a. door supporting a lens and connected to said housing by a hinge, a shuttor for said lens Journaled in said door, a shutter drive on said housing, a driving link between said shutter and said drive coaxial with said hinge, a single position clutch between said link and said for disengaging said clutch when said door is opened.

4. A device of the character described comprisinc: an apparatus housing, a. closure for sold houslug, means for locking ceioi closure to said housing, on optical system and a. control movement therefor on said closure, as driving means for sold movement on said housing, and means estimated by coin locking means for coupling soul move ment end said driving means only when seioi said housing.

it. in o device of the character described, nu opperotuc structure, e closure movable reletive thereto, driving" means on said structin'e and a movement driven therefrom on said closure. means for locking and unlocking sold closure and said structure, and means controlled by said looking means for arresting said movement and disconnecting it from said driving means prior to unlocking said closure, and for releasing and reconnecting the movement prior to locking the closure.

6. A device of the character described comprising an apparatus housing, a door fastened thereto with a hinge, a, control movement on said door, it shaft iordriving said movement substantially in thed'irection oi the sxis of said hinge, and means for locking said door in said housing arranged to engage and flxete said shaft when in unlocked position.

"i. A device according to claim 6 further charecterized by means for indicating the position of said shaft and said movement relatively to said locking and mating means.

3. A device of the character described comprising photographic apparatus, a, housing for said apparatus, a closure lorsalcl housing, means for locking said closure in said housing, an apparatus driving means including a clutch, an actuator for said clutch mounted on said housing including means tending to close said clutch, and an operator controlled by said locking means on said closure, and including means for releasing said actuator to close said clutch when said closure is locked and moving said actuator to open said clutch when said closure is unlocked.

9.'A device according to claim 8 mrther characterized by means associated with said actuator which -when said clutch is closed, engages said housing, thereby substantially locking said closure. 10. A, device according to claim 8 further characterized by means locking said actuator effectively to retain said clutch open as long as said closure remains open. 1

LLOYED E. I 

